Pump control arrangement for a drainage apparatus



y 1965 H. T. DINKELKAMP 3,196,982

PUMP CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR A DRAINAGE APPARATUS Original Filed Sept.25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l A /arney July 27, 1965 H. 'r. DINKELKAMP PUMPCONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR A DRAINAGE APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 25,1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOE W M I m m 9 Q N a; M a a United StatesPatent s 196 982 PUMP coNTaoL ARIiANGEMENT non A DRAINAGE APPARATUSHenry T. Dinlrellrarnp, Mount Prospect, 111., assignor to This inventionrelates to oil or fluid drainage apparatus for crank cases, transmissionenclosures, gear boxes and other similar devices having a drain opening,and more particularly, to apparatus of the type including a receivingvessel supported in general vertical alignment below the drain openingto collect drainage therefrom and is a division of application SerialNo. 140,559, filed September 25, 1961, now US. Patent No. 3,140,756.

Present commercial drainage apparatus generally includes a receivingvessel or funnel, a waste drum and appropriate interconnecting pipingbetween the funnel and drum. The waste drum, piping and funnel aresupported as a unit below the drain opening and can be either stationaryor portable. The funnel is moved to a catching position aligned belowthe drain opening and supported there either by telescopic or goose neckpiping secured to the waste drum. The oil or fluid collected in thefunnel is conveyed by gravity through the piping to the drum, thusrequiring that the drum be lower than the funnel and thus the drainopening.

Both the stationary and portable systems have basic practical drawbackssince the drainage apparatus requires an appreciable amount of valuablesupporting floor area. Also, the apparatus being located on the floor ismore susceptible to damage.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide oil or fluiddrainage apparatus for a device of the type described which requiressubstantially no supporting floor area below the device.

A particular feature of this invention is drainage apparatus having acatching vessel supported directly and solely from the device.

Another feature of this invention is drainage apparatus having areceiving funnel, a waste drum, a suction pump and an interconnectinghose means between the funnel, drum and pump operable to communicatefluid collected in the funnel to the drum independently of the relativeheights thereof.

These and other objects and features will be more fully appreciated upona perusal of the following specification which includes the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the subject invention in a typicaloperative arrangement draining an automotive vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a portion of the apparatus as seenfrom lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the receiving vessel asshown generally from lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view partly in section from lines 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, atypical garage automotive hoist shown in phantom supports an automotivevehicle 12. The vehicle 12 includes an internal combustion engine 14having at its lower portion an oil pan 16 having therein an oil drainopening 18 (FIG. 2).

A receiving funnel or vessel 20 is supported from the engine 14 by meansof a hook assembly 22 insertable into oil drain opening 18. The oilreceiving vessel 20 communicates through hose 24 and conduit 25 tosuction pump 26 powered by electric motor 28. The pump 26 is connectedby appropriate piping 30 to a waste oil drum 31 conveniently located atsome remote place in the garage. When not in use, the hose 22 iswithdrawn on reel 32 to an out-of-the-way retracted position as shown inphantom in FIG. 1.

Latch 34 on the cup 20 is supported by mating receiving eyelet 36 onhose 24 at the appropriate location. A limit switch 37 mounted adjacentthe reel 32 is actuated by rotary movement of lever 37a adapted to rideon the hose 24 as it is carried on the reel. The limit switch 37isadjusted to start the operation of motor 26 and thus the pump 28automatically upon unreeling of the hose from the reel. The pump 26,motor 28, reel 32, conduit 25 and piping 30 are all supported by anglestructure 38 suspended from the ceiling (not shown) of the garage aboveboth the garage floor (not shown) and engine 14.

The operation of the oil drainage apparatus can be readily understood.The oil is discharged from the oil drain opening 18 of the engine to theoil receiving vessel 20 supported solely from the engine by hookassembly 22. The suction pump 26 creates a partial vacuum ininterconnecting hose 24 to draw the collected oil in vessel 20 throughthe hose to the pump. The oil is then discharged through piping 30 tothe waste oil drum 31.

The attractiveness of this type oil drainage system is at once readilyappreciated since all of the associated apparatus is located abovevaluable often used floor area of the garage proximate the hoist 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the oil receiving vessel 20 includes afunnel-shaped bowl 40 having a large open upper portion 42 whichconverges to a smaller flanged opening 44 at its lower portion. A hollowhandle 46 is disposed annularly of the opening 44 and secured to thebowl 40 by appropriate bolts 47 threaded into pivot structure 48 locatedwithin the bowl 40. A screen assembly 49 secured beneath the pivotstructure 48 prevents passage of large objects through the opening 44and subsequently to the hose 24 and pump 26.

A hose coupling 50 sealed within the handle 46 b annular gasket 52 hasappropriate connection to the flexible hose 24. The hose coupling 50 isheld within the cup handle by direct abutment with washer 54 secured inplace by spring washer 56 received within a recess of handle 46. Arubber check valve 58 is received over the flanged opening 44 andconsists of a hollow flexible tube preshaped to a fiat normally closedcheck 59. The weight of the oil in vessel 20 is suflicient to open theflattened check 59 for through flow while any reverse flow of the oil inhandle 46 closes the check 59.

The hook assembly 22 includes a spring steel wire 60 shaped to anintermediate helical portion 62 and scissor arms 64 extending therefromand terminating in hooks 66. A pin 67 secured to the pivot structure 48pivotally mounts the spring at helix 62. Spring retainer 65 on the freeend of the pin 67 holds the spring 60 on the pin against the structure48. The scissor arms 64 are biased by helix 62 to cause the hooks 66 tobecome misaligned (as shown in FIG. 4) in the expanded configuration.

An actuating arm 68 is keyed to shaft 70 mounted rotatably in pivotstructure 48 and extending through the side wall of bowl 40. Appropriategasket means including an O-ring gasket 71, a slip washer 72 and aspring 74 interposed between washer 72 and pivot structure 48 seals thebowl 40 to prevent leakage of oil therefrom. A retainer plate 76 issecured by bolts 78 to the pivot structure 48, the bolts 78 additionallybeing received in recess 80 of shaft 70 to restrict axial movement ofthe shaft.

A flattened portion or cam 82 at the inner end of shaft 70 is betweenthe scissor arms 64 aligned beneath the retainer plate 76. The retainerplate 76 has a slot 84 elongated in the direction of movement of thespring arms 64 which receives the arms to limit the movement thereof.The cam 82 is operable upon rotation of the shaft 70 to bias the scissorarms 64 against the retainer plate 76 at the ends of slot 84, as can beseen in phantom in FIG. 4. In this position 'the'hooks 66 at the freeends of the scissor arms 64' coincide with one another to. present asmooth outside contour for easy insertion into drain Opening 18 (FIG.2). Rotation of-the actuating arm 68 releases the cam 82 from the arms64to permit expansion of the helical portion 62. The scissor arms 64thereby move outwardly adaptable to engage the periphery of the oilopening 18.

In a typical operation of the subject invention and after the vehicle israised on the hoist 10, the: garage serviceman withdraws the receivingvessel 20 and hose 24 from the reel 32 which causes limit switch 37 tostart the suc-' tion pump 26. The hook'assembly 22 on the receivingcup20 is placed in the unlocking position as shown in phantom in FIG. 4.Holding the receiving vessel 20 in general vertical alignment belowdrain opening 18, the

serviceman will loosen the drain plug (not shown) from the vehicleengine 14. The. drainplug is allowed to fall into the receiving vesselat which time the oil will also flow into the vessel. After the initialsurge, the serviceman can conveniently insert the hook ends of springarms 64 into the oil drain opening 18 and rotate the actuating and 68 torelease the arms. The expanded hook assembly 22 will engagethe'periphery of the oil drain opening 18 to support from the. enginethe oil receiving vessel 20 to collect the balance of the draining oil.After the engine is drained the handle 68 is rotated to'expand the hookassembly 22, whereuponupward movement of the vessel 20 .disengages thehooks 66 from the opening 18. The oil receiving vessel 20 can then bereturned to its inoperative position supported by latch 34 on the reel32 which also automatically stops the pump 26.

Thus, it is. obvious that with the oil drainage apparatus, as shown inthis invention, the oil can be drained from a vehicle, engine withoutany. apparatus supporting structure located on the garage floor belowthe vehicle. Furthermore, .since the suction pump supplies the movingpowerforthe drained oil, the waste oil drum can be locatedat any remotelocation. The versatility of this invention both as to simplicity ofapparatus and to increased available floor area is readily shown.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatvariousmodifi'cations' can be made in the subject invention withoutdeparting from the teaching thereof. Similarly the subject invention canbe effectively usedon transmission enclosures, gear boxes, presses, orother fluid confiining devices. Accordingly, it is desired that theinvention be limited bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Drainage apparatus of the type wherein-a motor driven suction pump iscarried on a support structure for pumping fluid from a fluid-receivingfunnel either detachably suspended in a position beneath a fluid drainopening for receiving a fluid flowing through said opening or retractedfrom said position, and wherein conveying means are provided for passingfluid from the outlet of said pump to a remotely located waste drum, theimprovement comprising a reel carried by said support structure, a hoseconnected between said funnel and the inlet of said pump and eitherreeled in successive convolutions upon said reel while retracting saidconnected funnel toward said reel or unreeled from said reel to permitsaid funnel to be detachably suspended beneath said opening, a lever armengaged by one of said hose convolutions in response to the reeling ofsaid one hose convolution on said reel and disengaged therefrom inresponse to the unreeling of said one hose convolution from said reel,and an electrical switch closed in response to the disengagement of saidlever arm from said one convolution for operating said motor driven pumpto pump fluid from said funnel through said hose and inlet for passageto said waste drum and opened by said lever arm to prevent operation ofsaid motor driven pump in response to the engagement of said lever armwith said one convolution.

2. A combination comprising a reel carrying a hose adapted to be eitherreeled in successive convolutions on said reel or unreeled from saidreel, a pump adapated to be operated for passing fluid through saidhose, a lever engaged with one of said hose convolutions in response tothe reeling of said hose and disengaged from said one convolution inresponse to the unreeling of said hose, and an electrical switchcontrolled by said lever for operating said pump in response to thedisengagement of said lever from said one convolution and controlled bysaid lever for terminating operation of said pump in response to theengagement of said lever with said one convolution.

3. A combination comprising a reel carrying a hose adapted to be eitherreeled in successive convolutions on said reel or unreeled from saidreel, a pump adapted to be operated for passing fluid through said-hose,a switch operating device movable independently of said reel and engagedwith one of said hose convolutions in response to the reeling of saidhose and disengaged from said one convolution in response to theunrceling of said hose, and an electrical switch operated in response tothe disengagement of said device from said one convolution for operatingsaid pump.

4. A combination comprising a reel carrying a hose adapted to be eitherreeled in successive convolutions on said reel or unreeled from saidreel and extended to a position for transmitting a fluid between saidposition and another position, means movable independently of said reelfor engagement with one of said hose convolutions and disengaged fromsaid one convolution in response to the unreeling of said hose, and anelectrical switch controlled 'by said means for'enabling the passage ofsaid fluid through said hose in response to the disengagement of saidmeans from said one convolution.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS I 2,113,676 74/38 Carroll ZZZ-- XR 2,150,025 3/39 Cook et al. 22275 XR LAVERNE D.GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

1. DRAINAGE APPARATUS OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A MOTOR DRIVEN SUCTION PUMP ISCARRIED ON A SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR PUMPING FLUID FROM A FLUID-RECEIVINGFUNNEL EITHER DETACHABLY SUSPENDED IN A POSITION BENEATH A FLUID DRAINOPENING FOR RECEIVING A FLUID FLOWING THROUGH SAID OPENING OR RETRACTEDFROM SAID POSITION, AND WHEREIN CONVEYING MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR PASSINGFLUID FROM THE OUTLET OF SAID PUMP TO A REMOTELY LOCATED WASTE DRUM, THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A REEL CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, A HOSECONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FUNNEL AND THE INLET OF SAID PUMP AND EITHERREELED IN SUCCESSIVE CONVOLUTIONS UPON SAID REEL WHILE RETRACTING SAIDCONNECTED FUNNEL TOWARD SAID REEL OR UNREELED FROM SAID REEL TO PERMITSAID FUNNEL TO BE DETACHABLY SUSPENDED BENEATH SAID OPENING, A LEVER ARMENGAGED BY ONE OF SAID HOSE CONVOLUTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE REELING OFSAID ONE HOSE CONVOLUTIONS ON SAID REEL AND DISENGAGED THEREFROM INRESPONSE TO THE UNREELING OF SAID ONE HOSE CONVOLUTION FROM SAID REEL,AND AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH CLOSED IN RESPONSE TO THE DISENGAGEMENT OF SAIDLEVER ARM FROM SAID ONE CONVOLUTION FOR OPERATING SAID MOTOR DRIVEN PUMPTO PUMP FLUID FROM SAID FUNNEL THROUGH SAID HOSE AND INLET FOR PASSAGETO SAID WASTE DRUM AND OPENED BY SAID LEVER ARM TO PREVENT OPERATION OFSAID MOTOR DRIVEN PUMP IN RESPONSE TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID LEVER ARMWITH SAID ONE CONVOLUTION.